Larry Achiampong and David Blandy

United Kingdom

Artists Larry Achiampong (1984) and David Blandy work collaboratively and share an interest in popular culture and the post-colonial position. They examine communal and personal heritages, using performance to investigate the self as a fiction by devising alter-egos to point at their divided selves. Over four years, their research has evolved into a body of work including digital imagery, exhibitions, performances and video. They have exhibited their collaborative work internationally, including at Tate Modern, London; EVA International, Limerick; Plymouth Arts Centre; Stony Island Arts Bank, Chicago; Wysing Arts Centre, Cambridgeshire; New Art Exchange, Nottingham; and Iniva, London.

Finding Fanon 2

2015
UHD Video, 9’13”, with sound

Finding Fanon 2 sees art-house cinema and digital culture’s Machinima colliding, resulting in a work that explores the post-colonial condition from inside a simulated environment – the Grand Theft Auto 5 in-game video editor. The two artists continue their search for Frantz Fanon in the digital realm. This video work combines several stories, including how the artists’ familial histories relate to colonial history, an examination of how their relationship is formed through the virtual space and thoughts on the implications of the post-human condition.

Commissioned by Brighton Digital Festival, supported by National Lottery Funds through Arts Council England, produced by Artsadmin.

This work is presented by guest curator Vanina Saracino and will be exhibited on Screencitybiennial.org, accessible 12-31 October 2017.